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Here are some frequently asked questions about the
Pitshanger Lane Streets for People scheme, with answers from the
PCA Committee: Q:
Where can I see the latest Streets for People Plan?
A: The plan for the central
part of Pitshanger Lane is available for download from the PCA
Streets for People resource page at www.pitshanger.org.uk/sfp.htm.
Once you have downloaded the plan, you should be able to rotate
it and zoom within Acrobat Reader.
Q: The road safety improvements
for North Ealing Primary School aren’t shown on the plan. What’s
happened to them? A:
Ealing Council have confirmed that the road safety improvements
for North Ealing School are still part of the plan. They are not
shown because the plan we have covers only the central part of
Pitshanger Lane. Q:
When will the scheme be put in place?
A: It is our understanding that
the TfL funding will have to be used during the financial year
2008-09. That’s the best indicator we have at the moment for
when the scheme will be implemented.
Q: How many trees will we lose?
A: Based on the latest plan,
the only trees that will definitely be lost are those outside
the Post Office and Aristocat Flooring. The Council have agreed
to replace any lost trees nearby with semi-mature specimens.
Q: How will the loss of
trees affect Light Up The Lane?
A: Of the two trees that will
definitely be lost, only the one outside Aristocat Flooring is
equipped with tree lights. We have asked the Council to include
recovery and re-installation of the lights within the Streets
for People scheme, and for this arrangement to cover any other
trees that turn out to be affected and the related electrical
installations. Q:
Will there be any Stop & Shop parking?
A: Not initially. The Council
proposes a review of this a few months after the scheme has been
implemented. Please see the item on Stop & Shop elsewhere in
this newsletter supplement for more information.
Q: What if the scheme
doesn’t work? A:
In the end, the design is the Council’s, and it will be for the
Council to make it work. If there are unexpected wrinkles, the
PCA will continue to work closely with the Council to get them
ironed out. Q:
I’ve heard there were some late changes to the plans. What are
they? A: The
main design tweaks added following the Council public
consultation exercise were (a) inclusion of proper loading
arrangements for the two Co-op stores, (b) separation of the two
bus stops and (c) addition of a dedicated disabled parking
space. The tweaks were based on comments and suggestions
provided in response to the public consultation exercise and
were endorsed at a meeting held in March 2008 between Ward
Councillors, Council Officers and their design consultants, the
Met Police Safer Neighbourhoods team and the PCA.
Q: If the design was changed
after the public consultation exercise, shouldn’t we have
another vote? A:
The questionnaire form used in the Council public consultation
actually requested additional comments and suggestions. So the
design changes actually resulted from the public consultation.
The PCA Committee feels that this is fair and above board, and
does not see the need for another public vote.
Q: What effect will the scheme
have on the car parking capacity of Pitshanger Lane?
A: We expect that the car
parking capacity of Pitshanger Lane will increase by a few
spaces overall (exact number to be determined). The location of
the spaces will be reshuffled to move parking away from the
junctions and raised tables.
Q: What effect will the Streets
for People scheme have on the development of Café Culture in
Pitshanger Lane? A:
A change to the existing street trading regulations that will
allow street pavement pitches 2m deep, compared to the current
1m, is currently working its way through the Council. (Note that
the PCA was instrumental in getting this change adopted). The
Streets for People design should allow sufficient room for all
of the existing cafes and restaurants on the North side of
Pitshanger Lane to adopt a 2m deep pavement pitch if they wish
to. Early version of the Streets for People plan would have put
an inset bay outside Oscars, the only cafe on the South side of
the Lane. However, the proposed new bus stop location outside
Brentham Furnishers, with an on-road bus stand extending across
the front of Oscars, will preserve the full pavement width there
and should allow café culture to flourish.
Q: In response to the public
consultation, I proposed alternate one-way operation in the side
streets such as Barnfield Road and Selby Road etc. Why hasn’t
this been adopted? A:
This has always been a tricky one. In the end, the PCA Committee
felt unable to support this change due to the possibility of
unintended consequences in the form of increased vehicle speeds
(although we accept this is arguable either way) and unfair
distribution of shopper parking to the “open ended” streets.
Q: Can we have a bit more
thinking time before the Streets for People scheme is put in
place? A: The
scheme is already badly delayed, and should have been
implemented during the financial year 2007-08 according to the
original Council schedule. The PCA Committee fears that any
further delay may put the TfL funding at risk. We have been
waiting since 2001 for funding to improve Pitshanger Lane and
would be very reluctant to see the TfL funding evaporate in
front of our eyes. We realise that this is something of a step
into unknown territory, but this is the time to seize the
opportunity while it’s there to be taken. Got
another question? Send it in to either
pca@pitshanger.org.uk or PCA Secretary, 12 Sovereign Close
W5 1DE and we’ll do our best to get you an answer. |
